BRITISH NAVY IN SECOND PLACE AS TO SIZE

Grey River Argus, 21 March 1947, Page 7

BRITISH NAVY IN SECOND PLACE AS TO SIZE

LONDON, March 18.

"We cannot hope any longer to have the largest navy in the world, but we can have the best equipped as we are certain to have the best manned,” said the financial secretary to the A-dmiralty, Mr Dugdale, in presenting the Navy estimates in the House of Commons.

He added that although the Navy would not undertake major construction or development this year, money would be spent on research, especially on the effect of the atom bomb in naval warfare.

Improvements to ships would include increased refrigeration, better bathing facilities, reading rooms, cinemas and laundries in all but the smallest ships. More than 327,000 had been demobilised last year and even if recruiting was continued as at present the Navy could not reach full requirements' until the 1950’5. Over 2,000 requisitioned and Governmentowned fishing vessels had been released and reconverted. Some cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes and a light fleet carrier had been or were being transferred to the Dominions, Allies and India, and only two destroyers .would be laid down this year. During 1946, 74 merchant vessels were destroyed or damaged by mines and British and the Dominion navies accounted for 4,600. Illegal immigration to Palestine was one of the Navy’s most trying jobs. Paying tribute to the men, Mr bugdale said: "They are neither proArab nor pro-Jew and they do their job wiht firmness and tact.” About a quarter of tne Navy was now engaged directly or indirectly in naval aviation and the proportion was increasing. There were 23 naval airfields and establishments at home and abroad employing 22,500. Mr Dugdale said he hoped to select from over all the branches except professional officers, an average of 20 to 25 per cent. of officers either through the upper yardarm scheme or the scheme of selecting warrant officers for promotion to lieutenant.

A sailor, when the clothing situation becomes easier, will for the first time in history, be able to wear plain clothes off duty. Canteen and welfare committees would make possible free discussion between officers and men on the general welfare of the ship. “In this way we hope that every man will feel that he has a part in the creation of the best possible conditions in his ship.” LONDON, March 19.

“Rackets” worked in Royal Navy barracks were described to an amused House of Commons by Mr J. P. W. Mallalieu (Labour), author of the “Very Ordinary Seaman”, during the debate on the Navy Estimates. A lucrative racket on Nelson's flagship Victory, at Portsmouth, was worked by a man conducting visiting parties. “When he reached the point where Nelson died”, said Mr Mallalieu, “he told the visitors that it was the custom to turn out the lights and for them to doff their hats. While the lights were out he dropped, two .halfcrowns into his hat and said, Thank you, sir”. Immediately there was a fumbling among the visitors. When the lights were turned on his hat was usually full of money”. He added that even former Scotland Yard men brought in to crush the rackets failed to beat the barracks staff. Some of these naval racketeers ran the barracks under a most elaborate and carefully worked out secret. They would ease themselves into key jobs where they could dispense patronage and exact toll. One patronage was to dish out freedom from draft ships. The men had two ambitions, cither to get in a racket themselves, or to loaf. If they looked purposeful enough they could get away with anything. "My particular system was to walk round with a piece of paper in my hand”, he said. “A friend of mine used to carry an orange box around with him all day during working hours. He used to sit on this box but if he saw an officer coming he would pick it up and march along with it”.

Mr Mallalieu declared that one of the worst features in the life of the service was the gap between sailors’ and officers’ conditions.